Sole-straightening means.



I. I. GRUENIG.

SOLE STRAIGHTENING MEANS.

APPLICATION FILED DEC- 24, I914.

Patented Apr. 13 1915.

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ll Ff) SOLE-STRAIGHTENING- MEANS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patent-ed Apr. 113. 1915.-

Application filed December 24, 1914. Serial No. 878,943

To all 71 /1027]. it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JOHN J. GRUENIG, a citizen of the United States, residingat Miles City, in the county of Custer and State of Montana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Sole- Straightening Means, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates to a device adapted to be applied to the soles of shoes for the purpose of holding the same in a perfectly fiat position and preventing the toes of the shoes from curling upward and getting out of shape when not in use, the object of the invention being to provide a device of this character which embodies novel features of construction whereby it can be injury to the same and operates effectively to prevent deformation of the shoe such as results from curling or bending of the sole.

-A further object of the invention is to provide a shoe sole straightenipg device which is' inexpensive in its construction, which can be instantly adjusted to fit any size of shoe, which will not injure or mar the shoe, and which will hold the sole of the shoe in a perfectly flat position so as to prevent the toe from curling upward.

\Vith these and other objects in view, the invention consists in certain novel combinations and arrangements of the parts as will more fully appear as the description proceeds, the novel features thereof being pointed out in the appended claims.

For a full understanding of the invention,

, reference is to be had to the following delines 'scription and accompanying drawing, in

which Figure 1 is a side elevation of a shoe sole the invention, showing the same as applied to a shoe. Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the same with the shoe removed. Fig. 3 is a side elevation'of the shoe sole straightener, the clamping lever being indicated by dotted in the position assumed when sprung upwardly preparatory to moving the same into inoperative position, and by full lines detail perspective view of Fig. 5 is a similar view of the slide upon which the clamping lever is mounted.

gCorresponding and like parts-are referred to. in the following description and indiquickly applied to a shoe without' Fig.

cated inall the views or the drawing by the 831118 reference characters.

Specifically describing the present embodiment of the invention, the numeral 1 designates the main frame of the device which is designed to extend longitudinally under the shoe and is provided at one end thereof with a'returned portion providing a clip adapted to engagethc toe portion of the shoe sole, the opposite end of the main frame or stock being shown as formed with a suitable handle 2, as Well as an eye 3 by means of which the device maybe hung upon a nail or the like and suspended against a vertical support. The main frame 1 may be formed from a single length of wire and preferably includes parallel side bars 1 of a sufficient length to extend entirely under the full length of the shoe. The toe clip comprise a cross bar and upwardly returned ends 1 of the side bars 1. This cross bar is adapted to fit over the projecting portion of the sole at the toe of the shoe and may have an intermedi ate portion thereof slightly flattened, as indicated at 5, to provide a tooth like member such as will positively engage the edge of the sole without danger of slipping.

A slide 6 is mounted upon the side bars 1 of the main frame so as to move back and forth thereon. This slide 6 may be formed from a length of wire which has opposite ends thereof coiled to provide sleeves 7 which receive the respective side bars 1 of the frame and are slidable thereon. A spring clamping lever ed upon the slide 6, one end thereof having a transversely disposed locking bar 9 swivel. ed thereon, while the opposite end thereof is bifurcated to provide spaced arms 8 which support a yieldably mounted heel clamping bar 10. As indicated upon the drawing, the clamping lever and heel clamping bar may be formed from a s ngle length of wire which is looped and suitably bent to providethe heel clamping bar 10 and bifurcated end of the lever and then has the ends thereof twisted together to form the locking end of the lever. The wire is coiled at the base of the bifurcated end of the le -er to provide the mentioned above may pivot eyes 11 which loosely receive the trans- I v verse bar of the slide (3. It will also be oba pair of spaced and 4 connecting outwardly 8 is pivotally m'ount I heel clamping bar yieldably in operative of'the shoe. reference to Figs.1 and 3- it'will be observed that the heel clamping bar 10 is offset upwardly from the plane of the bifurcated end 8 of the clamping lever.

so that the looped portionslZ of thewire are enabled to act as coil springs to hold the position. I

The transverse locking bar 9 is swiveled at 1i upon the extremity of the clamping )leverSand is of a suflieient length to proect over and engagethe side bars 1 of the main frame when in operative position, as

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indicated by Figs. 1 and 2. However when it is desired to. release the shoe or adjust the device the lever Sis sprung upwardly, as indicated by dotted lines on Fig. 3, and

the transverse-lockingbar 9 swung into an upright position so that it no longer engages the-side bars .1 but can be swung downwardly between the sameythereby admitting ofthe clamping'levcr being moved into inoperative position,.as indicated by full lines upon Fig. 3, when the clamping leverhs inthis position the shoe may be readily placed in proper position upon the frame 1. or removed therefrom, and the-slide 6 moved back andforth upon the side bars 1 to adjust the device toa shoeof any length. In Fig. 1 the device is shown as -.applied to a shoe 15, the projecting end of the sole 16 at the toe Oflllfi shoe being ongagcd by the toe clip 4, while the heel 17 of the shoe is engaged by the heel clamping bar 10. The sole 16 of the shoe is heldinan absolutely lat position against the main.

frame 1 so'that there is no danger of the shoe becoming deformed by reason of any tendency of the sole- 16' to curl upwardly. The bifurcated end 8?. ofthe clamping-lever .is sullicientlv wide to engage the side bars of the frame and coiiperate with the transverse locking bar 9, when the latter is in operative position, to maintain the operating lever 8 under a slight tension and thereby cause the sleeves 7 ofthe slide (1 to frictionally engage the side bars 1 and lock the slide in an ad- 1. A. shoe sole straightening. device in justed position. However, by springing the clamping lever 8 upwardly and then turning the locking bar 9 into an upright position, as indicatedby dotted lines on Fig. 3, the clamping lever can be swung downwardly intoan inoperative position, as indicated by full lines on thosaid figure, and the slide. (lthen moved back and forth upon the side bars 1 as maybe required to adjust the device-to any particular size of shoe.

Having thus described the. invention, what I: claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, .is:--

the sole of a shoe, toe engaging means upon the frame,-a slide mounted uponthe frame, a clamping lever mounted upon the slide, heel clamping means carried by the clamping lever, andlocking means for holding the clamping lever in operative position.

i 2. A shoe sole straightening device including a fiat frame arranged to fit under thesole of ashoe, toe engaging means upon the frame, a slide mounted upon the frame, a clamping lever mounted upon the slide, a heel clamping bar carried by the clamping lever, a yie dable mounting for theheel clamping bar, and locking means for holding the clamping lever in operative position, the movements of the slide upon the main frame admitting of the position of the heel clamping bar being adjusted for. engage-. ment with various sizes of shoes.

3. A shoe sole straightening device including a flat frame arranged to-fit under loosely connected to the opposite end of the clamping lever, said locking bar being adapted to extend across and fit against the side bars of the main frame tohold the clamping harin operative position or to be turned into an upright position sons to swing between the side bars of the frame and admit .of the clamping lever beingswung into inoperative position.

4. A- shoe sole straightening device-includinga fiat frame arranged to fit under the sole of a shoe and formed with spaced side bars, toe engaging means upon the frame, a slide connecting the side bars and formed with guidesleeves loosely engaging the same, a spring clamping lever pivotally mounted upon the slide at an intermediate point inits length, a heel clamping har carried by' one end of the clamping lever, and a transverse locking bar swiveled upon the opposite end of the clamping lever, said locking .bar being arranged to extend across and rest upon the side bars of the frame to hold the clamping lever in operative position or to be swnng'into an upright position sons to clear the side bars when the clamping lever is swung into inoperative position; 5. A shoe sole straightening device including a flat frame arranged to fit under the sole of a shoe and formed with spaced side bars, toe engaging means upon the frame, a slide connecting the side bars and being bifurcated, a heel engaging bar carried by the bifurcated arms of the lever, 21 yieldable mounting for the heel engaging bar, and a transverse locking bar swiveled upon the opposite end of the lever and arranged to extend across and rest upon the side bars of the frame to hold the lever in operative position or to be swung into an upright position so as to clear the said side bars when the lever is swung into an inoperative position, the back and forth movement of the slide upon the side bars admitting of the lever being adjusted for proper engagement of the heel engaging bar with various sizes of shoes. 7 r

In testimony whereof I aflix my signe ture in presence of two Witnesses.

JOHN J. GRUENIG. Witnesses:

L. H. DEEBAGI-I;

F. RAY GoMs'rooK. 

